At least 47 Kenyans arrived in the country last night, fleeing escalating xenophobic violence in South Africa. The mass departure comes as the June 30th deadline set by South African (SA) immigration authorities for foreign nationals to formalize their status or face deportation continues to fuel hostility and unrest.
The returnees, who arrived exhausted and traumatized, share harrowing accounts of loss, targeted violence and the abrupt end to their livelihoods.
Ali Jelly Sampul from Mandera who was operating a shop in SA has returned home empty handed. Ali described a harrowing experience in which his business was completely looted.
Beyond the financial devastation, he sustained serious injuries including gunshot wounds to his stomach and jaw. His travel documents now bear a five-year ban from travelling to South Africa.
Another Kenyan is Baylian Wambogo who lived and worked in South Africa for several years before being forced to abandon his life with nothing more than the single bag he could carry.
Wambogo described the environment as life threatening, recounting narrowly escaping death.
